Firefighters investigated for naked cooking

An investigation is underway after a naked Washington, D.C. firefighter was apparently caught on camera preparing food for a party in a firehouse.

The photo was supplied by a source who says complaints have been made by female firefighters and paramedics who were there at the time.

The D.C. Fire and EMS Department says there was a retirement celebration attended by off-duty firefighters at an engine company in July.

The source claims the photo shows a naked firefighter at the stove and that as many as three firefighters may have prepared and served food at the party naked.

The source alleges that there were female emergency medical personnel present and that no disciplinary action has been taken.

The DC Fire and EMS Department says it is looking into the allegations.

"This event occurred some time in late July, and then in early August, the complaint was filed, and since then our internal affairs office has been conducting an investigation, so that is an ongoing and open investigation," said D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman Pete Piringer.

Donnalle Hackley runs a website called PublicSafetyWorkers.com, a watchdog organization that advocates for concerns of public safety workers.

He says he is receiving complaints from firefighters who have been terminated, demoted or disciplined for offenses that are less serious than public nakedness in a firehouse.

"When I seen the picture, it was kind of appalling to me, but it wasn't unusual to me that certain individuals would get away with things such as this," Hackley said. "My case I was terminated from the department for an AWOL charge, but when I saw this and I saw this individual that was standing at a stove butt naked in a firehouse it was kind of a shocker to me."

The D.C. Fire and EMS Department said its zero tolerance policy could apply to a case of nakedness in a firehouse in mixed company.

"These allegations that you've shared with me are behavior that are unacceptable, and I know that the leadership will not condone that type of activity, and of course, appropriate disciplinary action would be expected in the event that inappropriate behavior does take place," Piringer said.